Storm in Upper River Division

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Storm in Upper River Division THE GAMBIA: STORM IN 2 June 2004 UPPER RIVER DIVISION The Federation’s mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world’s largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in over 181 countries. In Brief This Information Bulletin (no. 1/2004) is being issued based on the needs described below reflecting the information available at this time. CHF 50,000 has been requested from the Federation’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF). Based on further updates and details from assessment reports, or should the situation deteriorate, the Federation may consider international support through an Emergency Appeal. For further information specifically related to this operation please contact: · In Gambia: William Lamin Jammeh, Secretary General, Gambia Red Cross Society, Banjul; Email [email protected]; Phone 220.998.93.96; Fax 220.439.49.21 · In Senegal: Andrea Wojnar-Diagne, Federation Head of Sahel Sub-Regional Office, Dakar; [email protected]; Phone 221.637.91.20; Fax 221.822.53.69 · In Geneva: Mark Willis, Federation Regional Officer for West and Central Africa, Africa Dept.; Email [email protected] ; Phone 41. 22.730.42.60; Fax 41.22.733.03. 95 All International Federation assistance seeks to adhere to the Code of Conduct and is committed to the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response in delivering assistance to the most vulnerable. For support to or for further information concerning Federation programmes or operations in this or other countries, or for a full description of the national society profile, please access the Federation’s website at http://www.ifrc.org The Situation On Monday 24 May 2004 at 20:40, the Upper River Division (URD) of the Gambia suffered a storm at a speed of 33 knots and rainfall of 28mm. The storm hit Basse and it surroundings, Allunhari, Kanubeh, Nyakoi Kerewan, Nyakoi Taibatu, and other villages on the North Bank of URD. This resulted in the destruction of 883 houses, affecting 6,025 people within Basse and its surroundings. This kind of storm usually happens at the end of the rainy season; this year it occurred earlier. According to the Basse Hydro-meteorological Institute , the storm came in from the ocean and made landfall in the Basse area and its surroundings. They also forecast more storms this year during the rainy season. There is panic in Basse and the surroundings due to the massive destruction caused by this storm; two deaths and injuries have been recorded. The meteorological forecasts more storms during the rainy season this year. Although the destruction was felt by many, the most damaged properties were the houses, with partial or total destruction of the roofs. In some cases, walls broke and bricks fell on people, resulting to the injuries and homelessness. Those in serious situation were referred to Bansang Hospital for further treatment. The Gambia: Storm in Upper Fiver Division; Information Bulletin no. 1/2004 Red Cross and Red Crescent action The Gambia Red Cross Society branch office mobilized a team comprised of the program manager and two volunteers from the headquarters and local volunteers to carry out a rapid assessment. The team was divided into six groups of four volunteers each. The Division’s Commissioner requested the national society’s cooperation in the data collection and information sharing in order to bridge differences. The National Disaster Committee has met and is yet to inform the national headquarters of their decision. Immediate Needs · Roofing materials (corrugated iron sheets, nails, ‘rulm’ palm, and cement); · Bed nets; · Clothing; and, · Food stuffs. No disease outbreaks have been reported. The Gambia Red Cross headquarters has not yet given assistance to those affected, due to lack of stock. National Society Capacity Building In connection with national society national headquarters monitoring missions, a refresher course in Disaster Management is needed. The team on the ground during the initial assessment had difficulties in working due to lack of computer, printer and photocopier; the branch will benefit from such equipment since the Basse hydro- meteorological institute forecasts such incidents to occur again. There was also a communication breakdown; the satellite phone at URD branch office needs a battery for it to be functional. In addition, most of the national society’s vehicles were broken down. Mobilization and movement of volunteers to different locations was facilitated by the national society’s ambulance, which is only meant for ambulance services only. This slowed the data collection processing because the villages covered in the initial assessment are geographically far apart. In the absence of a new vehicle to facilitate the in-depth analysis, the repairing of the existing ones would go a long in alleviating the problem currently being faced by the Gambia Red Cross. Co-ordination At the time of the initial assessment, only the Gambia Red Cross which was on the field; the commissioner’s office is relying on the national society. Coordination with NGOs is yet to be negotiated. The results are yet to be forwarded to the National Disaster Relief and Resettlement Committee. Monitoring and Evaluation The Gambia Red Cross is in a transition period and has therefore not formed a Disaster Committee which would have been responsible for the procurement outside Basse. As a result, the national headquarters has appointed the programme manager to be responsible for monitoring, reporting and supervision of the operation. On the ground in URD, the Gambia Red Cross has a sufficient number of volunteers capable of carrying out the planned activities. The following pages contain a table the shows damage suffered as a result of the storm. There are also pictures of affected individuals and impact on infrastructure. Click here to return to the title page or contact information. 2 The Gambia: Storm in Upper Fiver Division; Information Bulletin no. 1/2004 Table 1: Statistical data of damage suffered from the storm District Villages Houses Heads People Food Stuff Damaged Injuries Deaths Damaged of Affected Rice Coos/ Sugar G/Nuts Family Maize Fulladu Manneh 120 200 700 300 200 - 160 30 - East Kunda Koba Kunda 91 169 601 240 110 - 90 20 - Basse 278 348 981 444 231 20 160 60 - Allunhari 190 166 2,080 805 765 252.50 596 N/A 1 Mansajang 4 4 47 2 11 1 2 - - Basse 10 10 142 15 4 - - - - Layout Basse 6 6 50 5 - 3 - - - Angalfuta Kanubeh 36 36 150 23 34 2 24 - - Kabakama 9 9 56 13 10 - 2 - - Kobakunda 22 22 322 37 24 11 14 - - Layout Sub-total 766 970 5,129 1,884 1,389 289.50 1,048 110 1 Basse 7 7 72 15 12 - 4 - - Santusu Sandu Chanyally 21 21 163 43 61 8 66 2 1 Wuli Nyakoi 49 49 305 61 186 4 160 - - West Kerewan Nyakoi 12 12 49 7 13 - 13 - - Taibatu Farato 7 7 100 2 2 - - - - Madina 10 10 96 8 24 - 14 - - Sutukonding 11 11 111 4 27 - 70 - - Sub-total 117 117 896 140 325 12 327 2 1 Grand Total 883 1,087 6,025 2,024 1,714 301.50 1,375 112 2 3 The Gambia: Storm in Upper Fiver Division; Information Bulletin no. 1/2004 The mother of a grade 9 student, killed during the storm, is assisted by a Gambia Red Cross volunteer. A head of family whose house was destroyed in the storm. 4 The Gambia: Storm in Upper Fiver Division; Information Bulletin no. 1/2004 The above pictures represent the type of houses that were affected by the storm. 5 .
Recommended publications
  • African Development Fund
    NIGERIA TRUST FUND Language: English Original: English REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA PARTICIPATORY INTEGRATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PROJECT (PIWAMP) APPRAISAL REPORT Agriculture and Rural Development OCAR Department April 2004 TABLE OF CONTENTS Project Information Sheet, Currency and Measures, List of Tables, List of Annexes, List of Abbreviations, Basic Data Sheet, Project Logical Framework, Executive Summary 1. ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF THE PROJECT ....................................................1 2. THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR .......................................................................2 2.1 Salient Features ..........................................................................................................2 2.2 Land Tenure ..............................................................................................................3 2.3 Poverty Status ............................................................................................................4 2.4 Gender Issues .............................................................................................................4 2.5 HIV/AIDS issues and Vector borne diseases ............................................................6 2.6 Environmental Issues .................................................................................................7 2.7 Institutional framework ..............................................................................................7 2.8 Agricultural Sector Constraints and Potentials ........................................................11
    [Show full text]
  • Review of the State of Implementation of Praia Orientations (On Land Tenure) in the Gambia
    1 THE REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA REVIEW OF THE STATE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF PRAIA ORIENTATIONS (ON LAND TENURE) IN THE GAMBIA 2 REVIEW OF THE STATE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF PRAIA ORIENTATIONS (ON LAND TENURE) IN THE GAMBIA TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 3 1.1. Background ................................................................................................................. 3 1.1.1. Context and Justification ..................................................................................... 3 1.1.2. OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................... 4 1.1.3. METHODOLOGY........................................................................................... 4 1.1.4 Terms of Reference for the Study ........................................................................ 5 1.2 Country Profile............................................................................................................ 6 1.2.1 Physical Characteristics........................................................................................ 6 1.2.2 Political Characteristics........................................................................................ 6 1.2.3 Social Characteristics............................................................................................ 6 2 MAIN LAND USE SYSTEMS ..........................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Community Forestry Conflict Management in Central River Division, the Gambia
    CASE STUDY 2 Who owns Kayai Island? Community forestry conflict management in Central River division, the Gambia By A. Dampha, K. Camara, A. Jarjusey, M. Badjan and K. Jammeh, Forestry Department, the Gambia and National Consultancy for Forestry Extension and Training Services (NACO) Edited by A.P. Castro SUMMARY Kayai and Saruja villages are located on opposite sides of the River Gambia. Between them is Kayai Island, whose 784 ha consists mainly of forest reserve containing economically valuable species and a large wildlife population.The people of Kayai village regard the island as falling within their traditional lands. In the 1950s, the colonial government, without consulting Kayai village, gave farm plots on the island to people in Saruja as compensation for land annexed by an agricultural project. Since then, several disputes have arisen between the two villages over ownership of the island. Attempts to resolve the conflict, including though court adjudication, proved unsuccessful. The latest clash was provoked by the government’s recent participatory forestry initiative, which empowers communities to manage forest lands. This decentralization of public forestry administration seeks to foster sustainable natural resource management, addressing shortcomings in the State forestry that has been in operation since colonial times. A proposal by Kayai village to set up a community forest on the island met with resistance from Saruja villagers, who refused to sign the agreement approving it. The people of Saruja feared losing their rice fields, gardens and orchards and their access to forest products. As in the past, public and forestry officials’ efforts to resolve the conflict were not successful.
    [Show full text]
  • An Application of Small Area Estimation
    Public Disclosure Authorized POVERTY AND INEQUALITY ON THE Public Disclosure Authorized MAP IN THE GAMBIA An Application of Small Area Estimation Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized POVERTY AND INEQUALITY ON THE MAP IN THE GAMBIA November 2018 1 | Page This publication is prepared with the support of the Country Management Unit West Africa Poverty Monitoring Code (WAPMC - P164474). Extracts may be published if source is duly acknowledged. Copyright © 2018 by The Gambia Bureau of Statistics The Statistician General P. O. Box 3504, Serekunda, The Gambia Tel. +220 4377847 Fax: +220 4377848 Authors Rose Mungai Minh Cong Nguyen Tejesh Pradhan Supervisor Andrew Dabalen Graphic presentation of the data Minh Cong Nguyen Editor Lauri Scherer Table of Contents Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................................... 4 Abstract ............................................................................................................................................... 5 Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................................... 6 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 7 1.1 The Gambia country context ...................................................................................................... 8 2. Overview of the Methodology ..............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Farafenni Dss, the Gambia
    Farafenni Demographic Surveillance System (Member of the INDEPTH Network) Profile of the FARAFENNI DSS, THE GAMBIA March, 2004 1. Physical geography and Population Characteristics of the Farafenni DSA The Gambia is the smallest continental country in Africa, with a land area of just 10 360 km2 (480 km from east to west and on average 48 km from north to south) and a total population of 1.4 million in July 2000 (Figure 1). It is surrounded by Senegal, with which it once shared a short-lived federation (‘Senegambia”), from 1982 to 1989. The town of Farafenni is on the north bank of the Gambia River, about 170 km inland from the capital, Banjul. The main road between Dakar and the Casamance crosses the Gambia River at Farafenni, which has a ferry suitable for heavy vehicles. The average annual rainfall, measured at the Farafenni field station in 1989-99, was 683 mm, but the relative variability is large (22.6%), with amounts in the 11-year period ranging from 515 mm in 1991 to 1000 mm in 1999. The Gambia has a single rainy season, extending from June to October, with peak rains in August. The vegetation is dry savannah, with scattered trees, but in the rainy season, grasses and bushes grow strongly. Rice is cultivated in the river bottoms and in the upland areas where millet, sorghum, and other cereals are the staple food crops. Figure 1: Location of the Farafenni DSS site, The Gambia. 2. Population characteristics of the Farafenni DSA The surveillance site is located in a rural area between latitudes 130 and 140N and longitudes 150 and 160W and comprises 40 small villages, extending 32 km to the east and 22 km to the west of the town of Farafenni (1993 population, 21,000).
    [Show full text]
  • Issues and Options for Improved Land Sector Governance in the Gambia
    Issues and Options for Improved Land Sector Governance in the Gambia Results of the Application of the Land Governance Assessment Framework Synthesis Report August 2013 AMIE BENSOUDA & CO LP OFF BERTIL HARDING HIGHWAY NO. SSHFC CRESCENT KANIFING INSTITUTIONAL AREA KANIFING MUNICIPALITY E-mail: [email protected] Telephone Nos. 4495381 / 4496453 ACRONYMS DLS - Department of Lands and Surveys DPPH - Department of Physical Planning and Housing KMA - Kanifing Municipal Area KMC - Kanifing Municipal Council LGAF - Land Governance Assessment Framework MOL - Minister of Lands MOA - Minister of Agriculture MOFE - Minister of Forestry and the Environment MoLRG - Ministry of Lands and Regional Government NGO - Non- Governmental Organizations TDA - Tourism Development Area 2 2 Page Table of Contents 1. Introduction 5 2. LGAF Methodology 5 3. Overview of Land Policy Issues in the Gambia 6 3.1 The Gambia: Background Information 6 3.1.1 Economy and geography 6 3.1.2 Governance system 7 3.2 Land Issues and Land Policy 7 3.2.1 Tenure Typology 7 3.2.2 History and current status of land policies 8 3.2.3 Land management institutions 9 4. Assessment of Land Governance in the Gambia 9 4.1 Legal and institutional framework 9 4.1.1 Continuum of rights 9 4.1.2 Enforcement of rights 11 4.1.3 Mechanisms for recognition of rights 12 4.1.4 Restrictions on rights 13 4.1.5 Clarity of institutional mandates 13 4.1.6 Equity and nondiscrimination 14 4.2 Land use planning, taxation, and management 14 4.2.1 Transparency of restrictions 14 4.2.2 Efficiency in the planning
    [Show full text]
  • Original Paper Gambian Women's Struggles Through Collective Action
    Studies in Social Science Research ISSN 2690-0793 (Print) ISSN 2690-0785 (Online) Vol. 2, No. 3, 2021 www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/sssr Original Paper Gambian Women’s Struggles through Collective Action Fatou Janneh1 1 Political Science Unit, the University of The Gambia, Brikama, The Gambia Received: August 1, 2021 Accepted: August 9, 2021 Online Published: August 13, 2021 doi:10.22158/sssr.v2n3p41 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.22158/sssr.v2n3p41 Abstract Women have a long history of organizing collective action in The Gambia. Between the 1970s to the 1990s, they were instrumental to The Gambia’s politics. Yet they have held no political power within its government. This paper argues that, since authorities failed to serve women’s interests, Gambian women resorted to using collective action to overcome their challenges through kafoolu and kompins [women’s grassroots organizations] operating in the rural and urban areas. They shifted their efforts towards organizations that focused on social and political change. These women’s organizations grew significantly as they helped women to promote social and economic empowerment. The women cultivated political patronage with male political leaders to achieve their goals. Political leaders who needed popular support to buttress their political power under the new republican government cash in patronage. Thus, this study relies on primary data from oral interviews. Secondary sources such as academic journals, books, and policy reports provide context to the study. Keywords Collective action, struggle,
    [Show full text]
  • The Gambia: Squall in Upper River Division; Information Bulletin No
    THE GAMBIA: SQUALL IN 12 September 2003 UPPER RIVER DIVISION Information Bulletin N° 2/03 Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) Allocated: CHF 30,000 The Federation’s mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world’s largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in over 180 countries. For more information: www.ifrc.org In Brief This document is being issued based on the needs described below. An initial budget was prepared for activities to address these needs, and totals CHF 88,932. Based on this budget, a DREF allocation of CHF 30,000 has been released. The Federation would appreciate donors to support the local requirements of the Gambia Red Cross Society. Un-earmarked funds to repay DREF are also needed. This operation will be reported on through the DREF update. The situation On August 24 at 10 p.m., a squall of some 30-35 knots hit the area around Basse Santa Su in Upper River Division (URD), the Gambia. According to the Basse Hydrometereological Institute, the squall came in from the east and severely damaged more than 100 compounds within 10 minutes, affecting more than 1,000 persons in Mansajang Kunda, Manneh Kunda, Alluhareh, Basse and Koba Kunda Operational developments An assessment team composed of Government, Gambia Red Cross and NGO representatives visited some of the affected areas in Upper River Division (URD) on August 30-31. The team – coordinated by CRS - also collected secondary information from the Commissioner’s Office and compiled a Needs Assessment Report.
    [Show full text]
  • The 2015/16 Gambia Integrated Household Survey Vol III
    THE GOVERNMENT OF THE GAMBIA INTEGRATED HOUSEHOLD SURVEY 2015/16 Volume III Prevalence and Depth of Poverty Gambia Bureau of Statistics Banjul, The Gambia October 2017 Table of Contents LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................. iii LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................... iii LIST OF ANNEXES.............................................................................................................................. iv ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS............................................................................................... v FOREWORD ........................................................................................................................................ vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................ viii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................... ix Chapter 1 - BACKGROUND, SURVEY METHODOLOGY AND ORGANIZATION ................. 1 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Socio-economic Environment ................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Objectives of the Integrated
    [Show full text]
  • Building Bridges for Creative Learning from the Bay to the Bantaba Bill Roberts
    Building Bridges for Creative Learning From the Bay to the Bantaba Bill Roberts Since 1996, St. Mary’s College of Maryland has sponsored three field study programs to The Gambia, West Africa. Ten students joined me for the first program in the summer of 1996. They stayed in Gambia for a period of either four or six weeks. Each student selected a research topic and, with help from me and the Gambians or expatriates I knew, collected original data for a report on their topic. We published the reports together in a volume titled Tubabs Under the Baobab: Study and Adventure in West Africa. We sent our friends and colleagues in The Gambia copies of the volume, and gave another 20 copies to the Methodist Bookstore where they were sold for 100 dalasis apiece. They sold quickly, but not long thereafter, the bookstore closed. The 1998 group on the bantaba at Tanje village museum. summer of 2000, and spent over six weeks in West Africa. Joining me were faculty advisers Professor Lawrence Rich (foreign languages) and his wife Celia, a professional photographer and social activist. For me, the third occasion of the field program was highly symbolic and meaningful. Our return demonstrated continuity in our growing commitment to create a collaborative program of learning, research and service. St. Mary’s field program in Gambia has evolved towards a ‘mutualism’ model of collaboration that generates benefits for all participants, U.S. Americans and Gambians alike. The first group of St. Mary’s students to live and study in Perhaps the most significant aspect of the 2000 field The Gambia for a six-week period in 1996.
    [Show full text]
  • Early Warning Bulletin for Food Security in the Gambia
    EARLY WARNING BULLETIN FOR FOOD SECURITY No. 2011/16 IN THE GAMBIA Period: October 1 - 10, 2011 Produced and Published by the Multidisciplinary Working Group of the AGRHYMET Regional Programme Focal Point: Department of Water Resources TEL: (+220) 4227631 / 4224122 / 8905229 - FAX: (+220) 422 50 09 Government of The Gambia E-MAIL: [email protected] / WEB: www.mofwrnam.gov.gm AGRHYMET Regional Programme 1. PROGRESS OF THE RAINY SEASON The Inter-Tropical Discontinuity (ITD) continues to move southwards with it's current position located just one degree of latitude north of the Gambia, stretch across eastern Senegal and southern Mali. Places to the south of this position experienced isolated to scattered convective activities which resulted to rain showers and thunderstorms at the beginning of the dekad. However, the precipitation shift was to the extreme south of West Africa towards the end of the dekad. The Azores Sub-Tropical High Pressure System was squeezed and displaced by a mid-latitude depression into Western Europe with a core value of 1028 hectopascal. This system caused a change in the wind pattern to North-Easterlies giving rise to the intrusion of slight dust haze and warm weather condition over Sahel region. The Azores Sub-Tropical High Pressure is expected to return to its original position over the North Atlantic Ocean in thirty-six hours time as it regains intensity. 2. RAINFALL OUTLOOK FOR OCTOBER 11 – 20, 2011 Warm weather accompanied by slight dust haze is expected, becoming humid and thundery with rain showers towards the mid of the dekad. Dry, warm and stable atmosphere will prevail during the rest of the dekad.
    [Show full text]
  • The Gambia 2013 Population and Housing Census Preliminary Results
    REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA The Gambia 2013 Population and Housing Census Preliminary Results Count! Everyone Everywhere in The Gambia Every House Everywhere in The Gambia 2013 Population and Housing Census Preliminary Results Page i The Gambia 2013 Population and Housing Census Preliminary Results The Gambia Bureau of Statistics Kanifing Institutional Layout P.O. Box 3504, Serrekunda Tel: +220 4377-847 Fax: +220 4377-848 email: [email protected] Website: www.gbos.gov.gm Population and Housing Census Preliminary Results Page i ADMINISTRATIVE MAP OF THE GAMBIA Population and Housing Census Preliminary Results Page ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Content Page ADMINISTRATIVE MAP OF THE GAMBIA ………………………………………………………………. ii LIST OF TABLES …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. iv LIST OF FIGURES ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. iv MAP…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. iv FOREWORD …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. v ACKNOWLEDGMENT ………………………………………………………… ……………………………….. vi LIST OF ACRONYMS …………………………………………………………………………………………….. vii 1. BACKGROUND …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 1 1.1 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1 1.2 Legal and Administrative Backing of the Census ……………………………………………. 1 1.3 Census Preparatory Activities ………………………………………………………………………… 2 1.4 Decentralization of the Census Activities ………………………………………………………. 4 2. Preliminary Results …………………………………………………………………………………………. 6 2.1 Population Size …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6 2.2 Population Growth ………………………………………………………………………………………. 6 2.3 Percentage
    [Show full text]